Tongue-support.



No. 648,099. Patented Apr. 24, I900.

s. H. BREWER.

TONGUE SUPPORT.

(Application filed Jan. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES SAMUEL H. BREWER,

PAT NT OFFICE,

OF BEAUKISS, TEXAS.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,099, dated April 24, 1900.

Applicationfiled January 16, 1900. Serial No. 1,622. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. BREWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaukiss, in the county of Williamson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Support, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in tongue-supports.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of tongue-supports and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device designed to be connected with the ends of a doubletree and with the front axle and capable of supporting the front portion of the tongue or pole in an elevated position to relieve theneck of the draft-animals of the weight of the same.

A further object, of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will also be capable of cushioning the draft and of steadyingthe tongue to prevent the same from vibrating when the vehicle is traveling over a rough road and also to avoid straining the harness should a team start suddenly.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a tongue-support constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of one side of the device.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

l 1 designate similar coiled springs of equal strength, located at opposite sides of the front portion of the running-gear and connected at their front ends to a doubletree 2 and at their rear ends to the front axle 3, and the said springs are compressed when they are subjected to strain by means of a pair of links 4: and 5, extending through the springs in opposite directions and consisting of rods bent upon themselves to form two sides and to provide a loop or bend. The terminals of the rods are coiled to form eyes which receive the end coils of the springs. The link at the front end of the spring engages an eye orhook bolt 6, havingits shank extended through the doubletree and provided at the front edge thereof with a nut or other suitable fastening device. The link, which extends from the rear end of the coiled spring, is connected with a short chain 7, consisting of any desired number of links, which detachably. engage hook-bolts 8,extending forward from the front axle and adapted to permit the tension of the springs to be readily varied by engaging any of the links with them. The pivot 9 of the doubletree is located in advance of the transverse pivot 10 of the pole or tongue 11, and the coiled springs by drawing rearward on the ends of the doubletree are. capable of supporting the front portion of the tongue at an elevation to relieve the draft-animals of the weight of the same. The links of the short chains 8 may be readily engaged with the rear hooks of the front axle by elevating the tongue and relieving the springs of the weight of the same. The springs are adapted to steady the tongue when the vehicle is passing over a rough road, and they also cushion the harness and prevent the same from being strained or broken by the sudden starting of the draft-animals and relieve the shoulders of the latter.

It will be seen that the device is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily applied to the front portion of a running-gear, and that it is capable of supporting the front portion of a pole or tongue in an elevated position and of relieving the draft-animals of the weight of the same. that the tension of the springs may be readily regulated and that the latter are adapted to relieve the strain on the shoulders of the draftanimals, and that the harness will be pre vented from breaking should a team start suddenly. The device is also adapted in a great measure to cure balky horses and to prevent them from balking.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the append ed claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What is claimed is V In a device of the class described, the combination of a running-gear having a tongue Furthermore, it will be seen pivotaily mounted and adapted to swing upanimals of the weight of the same, substan- 1o ward and downward, a doubletree pivoted to tially as described. the tongue in advance of the pivot of the lat- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ter, and the springs located at opposite sides my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 5 of the tongue and extending in advance and the presence of two witnesses.

in rear of the pivot thereof and connected to SAMUEL H. BREWER. the doubletree, and to the front axle and Witnesses: adapted to cushion a draft and capable of O. C. GAYDEN,

S. A. ABBOTT.

supporting the tongue to relieve the draft- 

